Everyone knows the rotary phone, the overused image of a finger-holed, clicking beast that preceded ours under 200-gram modern miracles.
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Technology certainly has evolved and morphed over time, moving from one thing to the next as we improve designs at an incredible rate.
Besides the phone what else has been improved beyond recognition?
The Antikythera mechanism and Watson
Far before electricity, there was the Antikythera mechanism. This device is thought to be the world’s first computer. It took an input of data and predicted astronomical events. Not just the world’s first analog computer, but perhaps the world’s first Google calendar. Although I doubt it reminded people about their doctors’ appointments.
On the other end of this spectrum enters IBM's Watson (The computer that participated in "Jeopardy"). Watson is speaking in a language we understand. It's artificial intelligence that cannot only remind us of our doctors’ appointments but could help diagnose an illness. The possibilities are endless.
Plain fibers to fabulous pieces
Have you ever thought about the clothes you wear and how much technology is incorporated into them? From the modern spinning wheel to electronic sensor embedded clothing, we have used technology to go from the functional to the fashionable. Over time, fashion statements vary greatly, but the new wave of tech in clothing is bringing expression to a whole new level.
"R.U.R." and the modern robot
Fictional accounts have been obsessed with the humanoid robot. The word first came onto the scene in the play "R.U.R." around 1921. From there, the idea of a robot became far more complex. In the era of "The Jetsons," Rosie was practically human. If machines become close to human, what is left of us? That is exactly what the film industry addressed in films like "I, Robot."
Huts to houses
We live in comfort. We have homes that cater to our lifestyle, that anticipate our needs and continually change to suit our aesthetic preferences. We started with a very simple shelter from the elements, ended up with mansions and now people are seeing how small a space they really can live in with micro-homes.
This technology boom, a constant influx of learning and information, has excelled humanity beyond its perceived boundaries. What never ceases to amaze me is that the technology we have both simultaneously creates and solves problems we never knew we had. Just thinking back and reflecting on where these ideas started and where they ended up can make a person feel very small in a rapidly expanding world of invention.
